- The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku (right), presenting a plaque to the JTF Commander South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladikpo (left), during the Admirals visit to the Commissions Headquarter in Port Harcourt
By Emmanuel Ukudolo I Wednesday, January 21.26
PORT HARCOURT – The Niger Delta is open for business. That was the defiant message this week as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) pledged a “total alliance” with security forces to keep the region’s oil flowing and its streets safe.
In a high-powered meeting at the NDDC headquarters, Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku met with the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladipo, to hammer out a strategy for “total peace.”
Dr. Ogbuku was blunt about the stakes: if the Niger Delta coughs, Nigeria catches a cold.
”The Niger Delta is the economic nerve of this nation,” Ogbuku told the visiting military chiefs. “Without security, there will be no development. If this region is destabilised, it will affect the entire country’s economy. Nigeria is prosperous today because there is peace here.”
The NDDC boss revealed that the commission isn’t just talking about safety—they are paying for it. Recent investments to bolster the military include:
A brand-new naval base jetty.
High-speed gunboats and tactical houseboats for the Navy in Bayelsa State.
A major Army base project currently under construction in Warri.
While gunboats patrol the creeks, Dr. Ogbuku insists the real victory will be won through the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He argued that the best way to keep the peace is to keep young people busy with work.
”Sustained peace will open up economic opportunities, attract foreign investment, and create jobs for our teeming youths,” he said, noting that employment is the “critical pathway” to long-term stability.
Rear Admiral Oladipo, leading “Operation Delta Safe,” reported that the region is currently enjoying one of its most secure periods in years.
”During the Christmas season, we ensured that the Niger Delta was safe,” Oladipo said. “Today, the Niger Delta is one of the safest regions in the country. Companies are returning, workers are safe, and economic activities are picking up.”
The Admiral’s mission is clear: keep the crude oil production numbers climbing and ensure the “economic engine” of Nigeria doesn’t stall.
With the NDDC and the military standing shoulder-to-shoulder, the message to global investors is loud and clear: The Niger Delta is back on the map.
